As WLUFA elections for President and the Executive Committee are fast approaching, we would like to take this opportunity to explain the difference between Bargaining Unit Membership and Association Membership.

All full-time and contract faculty employed at WLU are members of a Bargaining Unit – either the full-time BU or the CAS BU. Bargaining Unit Members pay dues and are covered by their respective Collective Agreements. They have the right to attend Bargaining Unit meetings, participate in bargaining surveys, vote on the proposals for negotiations, participate in strike and ratification votes, and attend all WLUFA Social Events.

Membership in the Association is not the same. Membership in the Association entitles you to participate in Association Meetings (General Meetings, Special Meetings, AGM); vote for WLUFA President, WLUFA Executive Committee and WLUFA Communications Committee; run for election to these committees; serve as a WLUFA representative on various committees throughout the University; and participate at the Provincial level via OCUFA. A list of committees that WLUFA is involved with is on our website here: http://www.wlufa.ca/wlufa-home/wlufa-standing-committees/representatives.

Legally you cannot be forced to join a union, which in this case is the Association. Many of you are already members of the Association. If you don’t know, please contact Linda Watson by e-mail at lwatson@wlu.ca, and she will be happy to check. If you are not a member of the Association and you wish to become one, you must sign a form, which is attached, and there is a copy of the form on the WLUFA website at the bottom of this page: http://www.wlufa.ca/about-wlufa-2/advice-for-prospective-members-2. There are no sign up fees.

WLUFA has a separate listserv for Association members which will be used to provide information about the upcoming elections for President and the Executive Committee. If you want to run or vote in these elections, make sure you are on this list by becoming a member of the Association if you aren’t already!